In the fifth episode of the podcast Tale of the Sector, Hilal Al-Qurashi, Mohammed Al-Mutairi, and Hamid Al-Thiyabi gathered to discuss a complex and sensitive file: boards of directors, the founder syndrome, and leadership stability. This episode uncovers the depth of the structural issues faced by the non-profit sector and presents the listener with difficult questions that cannot be softened.

Between Figurative Boards and Weak Governance

From the outset, the speakers highlighted the dilemma of boards of directors. Mohammed Al-Mutairi described them as exceeding their strategic role to drown in executive details, while Hilal Al-Qurashi pointed out that many of them do not know what is actually required: either they hinder work or completely lift it off their backs. Hamid Al-Thiyabi added another dimension when he considered them merely "names on paper," having no impact except in the minutes, while the actual management is in the hands of the executive director or the chairperson. This shocking picture reflects a deep gap between regulatory texts and actual practice, raising the question: where does governance stand when the board becomes a burden instead of a tool for control and balance?

The Founder Syndrome: When Giving Becomes a Constraint

The results are catastrophic: distorted organizations that cease to exist in the absence of the founder, high turnover, and a severance in the donors' connection when the "person-symbol" departs. Global studies confirm that 70% of associations in some U.S. states are still controlled by the founder, and half do not have a succession plan. This phenomenon is not local but universal.

The episode defined the founder syndrome as a pathological attachment to the organization and the inability to let go. The reasons are many: an emotional relationship with the association, the absence of a qualified second tier, weak delegation systems, and fuzzy concepts of "ownership" in an entity that is supposed to belong to the community.

Leadership Succession: A Painful Separation… Yet Sweet

Hamid Al-Thiyabi's experience with Um Al-Doum Association was a real example: his departure left a void and a decline in performance, but it proved that the association could continue – albeit at a lower level – when the weight of the founder was lifted from it.

The episode did not stop at diagnosis but offered a treatment plan based on four pillars: empowerment, planning, delegation, and capacity development. Having a deputy for the executive director, testing the absence of the leader for short periods, and finding alternative roles for the founder are all practical solutions that reduce risks. The most important aspect is the "dignified exit": the moment the founder leaves leadership with dignity, leaving room for renewal, without the exit turning into a break or animosity.

A Culture That Must Change

Mohammed Al-Mutairi called for accepting the idea that associations may fail, just as start-ups can fail, considering that failure is part of the natural life cycle of organizations. Hilal Al-Qurashi went further by demanding the rotation of leadership and freeing the sector from "chronic" names that have been associated with specific institutions for a decade or more. Meanwhile, Hamid Al-Thiyabi borrowed an inspiring phrase from the city's prince: "We do not want people to come to the non-profit sector to die in it, but to live through it."

Conclusion: A Leadership Illness or a Hidden Strength?

The core message is clear: stability does not mean stagnation, and departure does not mean the end. What the sector needs is the courage to admit the problem and to formulate a new culture that makes leadership a cycle, not ownership, and the board a partner, not a master, and the institution an entity that lives for the community, not for the individual.

The founder syndrome is not merely a psychological or administrative symptom; it is a mirror that reveals the fragility of the organizational structure, weak governance, and the absence of succession plans. Yet at the same time, it can be a hidden strength when it transforms into commitment and passion if the founder manages it well and defines their exit moment.

A Direct Recommendation to the National Center for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector

To turn the discussion into practice, we suggest that the National Center adopt a package of mandatory policies for leadership succession plans, as follows:

  1. Annually Approved Succession Plan: Mandating every association to have a written succession plan approved by the board, updated annually and included in the governance compliance report.
  2. Appointment of a Deputy/Assistant to the CEO: Requiring the existence of a deputy position with defined and activated powers, along with an officially documented and public delegation schedule.
  3. Mandatory Absence Testing: Implementing a “leader absence” exercise for at least two days annually, documenting the corrective lessons resulting from it.
  4. Smart Leadership Term Limits: Establishing a cumulative time frame for the CEO (for example, 6–8 years) with a conditional extension mechanism based on quality/effectiveness performance indicators, not mere activity and event counts.
  5. Separation of Roles and Relationships: Prohibiting the combination of the board's presidency and management, and mandating documentation of relationships with donors at the institutional level, not the individual, along with systematic handover policies during leadership changes.
  6. Transparency and Commitments: Publishing a summary of the succession plan in the public annual report (without disclosing sensitive data) and linking the association's commitment level to a clear classification scale.
  7. Linking to Incentives and Funding: Making access to government/semi-government grants or distinguished classifications conditional on a high commitment level to the succession plan and active delegation.
  8. Mandatory Capacity Building: A short mandatory program for association leaders and board members on succession, delegation, and change management, with a simple professional certification renewed every two years.
  9. Standard Toolkit and Definitions: Providing ready-made templates (Succession Toolkit) that include policies, delegation models, a power matrix, and a communication plan with donors during transitions.
  10. General Monitoring Dashboard: Launching a “Succession Measurement Dashboard” on the center's website, displaying indicators of associations' commitment (in fair aggregate formats) to stimulate positive competition.

By adopting this package, the sector will shift from managing individuals to institutionalizing impact; from fearing the departure of the founder to reassuring the continuity of the message.

Proposed Timeline: Adopting the policies within 90 days, with a transition period not exceeding 12 months, and then starting to link them to incentives and classification.